Manhole cover



JulyZ, 1935. E, R BARRETT 2,006,937

MANHOLE COVER Filed April 9, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l 4 0 1,2 R, 2 l l 11;;4 I MI! 6 I I ll I 8 3/}; 2.9 16 5 5 Lg); a 4- 1/ e l I ll \n ov s r 15%. 2% M M y 1935- I E. R. BARRETT 2,006,937

MANHOLE COVER Filed April 9, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 .AMg

Patented July 2, 1935 MANHOLE COVER Edward R. Barrett, Detroit, Mich.,assignor to Gar Wood Industries, 1110., Detroit, Mich., a corporation ofMichigan Application April 9, 1934, Serial No. 719,693

10 Claims. (01. sac-s5) This invention relates to manhole covers,particularly' applicable and used upon tank bodies which are mounted ontrucks for transporting liquids. The present invention is concerned withthe cover for the filling opening in the manhole cover, and. has for itsobject and purpose the provision of a novel structure which will'insureagainst the striking together and possible break ing'of' the cooperatingreleasable connector parts of the filling opening cover and the manholecover. This will insure against, not only the breaking of such partswhich may render the 'connection of the filling opening cover to themanhole cover ineffective, but also against the possible generation ofsparks such as may occur when two pieces of metal strike together. Suchcomplete elimination of any possible spark generation is especiallyimportant in connection with tank bodies which carry petroleum products"such as gasoline, kerosene and the like.

An understanding of the invention for the attainment of the ends statedas well as many others not at this time specifically enumerated may behad from the following description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in which,

Fig. 1 is a section taken substantially on the plane of line ll of Fig.2/

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the manhole cover with the filling openingcover thereon;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary underplan view of th filling opening cover,indicating the manner in' which it is mounted on the manhole cover.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary enlarged underplan Fig. 7 is a fragmentaryvertical section showdetachably-secured to the tank, and

Fig; 8 is afragment'ary underplan view of theconstruction shown in Fig."7. I

Like reference characters refer to like parts irithe different figuresof the'drawings.

The tank body [is of sheet metal and may be of any 'desiredsize'. Atits'upper side; it is provided with an elevated-annular rim oimctal ingthe manner in which the manhole cover is 2 of the form best shown inFig. l'having an inturned horizontal flange 3; at its upper edge. *This'rim-2 is welded or otherwise'permanently secured to the tank body aroundan opening '4 in the body, and the flange 3 surrounds a manhole' opening5 which is of a size sufficient that ifit is desirable to enter the tankbody for'any purpose a man can do 80. 7 P

A manhole covert which may be of the shape and form shown in Fig. 2 islocatedover and rests at its edges upon the flange 3, a suitable gasket1 being interposed between the edges of the manhole cover andthe flange3. The manhole cover'isdetachably secured to the rim 2 around themanhole opening. This is'done by providing a number of pairs of spacedapart ears 8 at the underside of the manhole cover 6. to each of whichthe upper end of a rod 9 is pivotally connected. 'lhis rod is threadedatits lower end and may be swung to lie between the spaced apart legsit] of V-shap'ed sockets formed uponor integral with the ring 2. Anut'll' threaded on the lower end of the rod 9 comes against theunderside of the legs l0 releasably' securing the manhole cover inplace. The manhole cover can be removed by reaching through the fillingopening in the cover. hereafter described, and loosening the nuts H sothat the rods 9 will swing inwardly to a vertical position disconnectingfrom the legs IiLas is evident. In Fig.

2 four of the pairs of ears 8 and of the rods'll are,

indicated. It is, of course, to be understood, that this number may bevaried with different dimensions and shapes'of the manhole covert;

The manhole cover has a centrally located circular filling opening whichis surrounded by a downwardly extending annular flange l2inteingundersides on a slight downward incline from gated lugs are showndiametrically opposed to each other.

s PATENT oFFwE gral with the manhole cover. 'At the innersidej oftheflang'e l2 elongated lugs l3 are castha'v-Q has an annular flangeextending over the adja I cent edge portions of the filling opening inthe manhole cover 6. At the underside of said flange, the cover l4 isequipped with a suitable gasket l5 which is secured to and moves withthe cover The flllingopening cover M, as will here-- after be described,is mounted so that" it may below the manhole cover 6.

manhole cover 6 around the filling opening are concerned.

At the inner side of the filling opening cover I4 downwardly extendinglugs iii are provided, the lower ends of which are turned outwardly soas to pass underneath and bear against the lower inclined sides of theelongated lugs 13. The cover I4 is mounted to turn about a vertical axisso that lugs 16 may be turned to one position beyond one of the ends ofeach of the lugs l3, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3, and then byturning the cover H the lugs I6 may be brought so that their loweroutturned end portions bear against the inclined undersides of the lugsl3. A very snug or'tight bearing of the filling opening cover againstthe manhole cover is made.

With my invention there is an insurance that lugs l6 will never strikeagainst the lugs I3 in the movement of the cover M from its open to itsclosed position.

The filling opening cover M has a central opening encircled by adownwardly and inwardly extending integral sleeve H, in which is asuitable vent, indicated as a whole at l8, mounted and housed at itsupper portion by part Ma of the cover I. The structure of the ventspecifically is no part of the present invention. The lower member I9 ofthe vent construction has, as shown in Fig. 6, an outwardly extendingflange I90. at its lower end. This member 19 is permanently connectedwith the cover [4 through a connecting screw 20. Therefore, the ventturns and moves with the cover 14.

An annular groove is provided between the flange Ho and the underside ofthe cover l4 around the sleeve I! in which a ring 2| is mounted. Thering at one side has a projecting arm 22 which extends horizontallytoward the downwardly extending flange l2 of the manhole cover 6, and isthen formed into a downwardly and inwardly extending goose neck 23, thefree end of which is pivotally connected to ears 24 cast with andextending downwardly from and It is evident that the cover I4 may rotatewithin the ring 2| to dlflerent positions and it is further evident thatthe entire structure including the cover l4, ring 2|, arm 22 and gooseneck 23 may be turned upwardly and over to the dotted line positionindicated in Fig. 1 about the pivotal axis of the pivot connecting theears 24 with the goose neck 23.

The arm 22 is of substantially channel form having downwardly extendingflanges one of which, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, has an integraldownwardly extending stop plug 25 cast therewith. At the outer end 26 ofthe arm 25 a socket member 21 is cast in which a concave socket ofsubstantially semi-circular shape is made. The member l9 of the ventconstruction has a short arm 28 extending toward the socket. A yoke 29is pivoted to the arm 28 and. extends toward the socket, terminating ina rod 30 of relatively small diameter, the outer end portion of which isslidably received in a tubular sleeve 3| which has a bearing at one endin the socket at 21. A heavy coiled compression spring 32 is around therod 38 and a part of the sleeve 3l bearing against a flange 3la on thesleeve and against the shoulder formed on the yoke of the member 29.

When the cover I 4 is operatively connected through its lugs with theelongated lugs l3 the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 3. The

filling opening cover I4 is equipped with oppositely extending handholds 33 (Fig. 2) which may be grasped to turn the cover M for thepurpose of disengaging lugs Hi from lugs 13. In doing so the spring 32and the parts 29, 30 and 3| with which it is associated move from theposition shown in Fig. 3 to the position shown in, Fig. 4. In so doingthe spring 32 is compressed until the dead center line isreachedwhereupon it then operates to work in conjunction with the one turningthe filling opening cover and carries the parts to the position shown inFig. 4 or until stopped by the lug 25. Should the one who is turning thecover M to open the filling opening not move the cover far enough, thenupon his release of the hand hold arms 33 the cover I 4 will then returnto its original position and remain engaged with the manhole cover 6. Ifhe moves it to carry the spring 32 and the members associated therewithbeyond the dead center line and then releases the cover, the spring willwork to move the cover to its extreme position, or until the yoke at 29engages the stop at 25.

In such position the lugs I6 are carried beyond the ends of the lugs l3with which they have been previously engaged, whereupon the fillingopening cover l4 may be turned, as previously described, to the positionindicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1. On closing the cover l4, because ofthe force of spring 32 holding the cover in the one extreme of itsrotative movement, there is always a clearance between the lugs I6 andI3 as the cover 14 comes to closed position. The arms 33 are thenengaged and the cover l4 turned so as to engage the lugs with the lugs13, the spring 32 aiding in tightening such engagement after passing thedead center line as pre viously described.

The construction described is very practicaland useful. The pivotalmounting of the cover I4 is underneath the manhole cover 6 so that noouter lugs or ears are presented which might be broken or damaged. Thereis insurance against striking lugs I 5 against the lugs l3 when thecover I4 is moved from its open to its closed damage to or fracture ofthe connecting parts l3 and I4, and further no generation of sparkswhich would be extremely dangerous, particularly in connection withtanks carrying petroleum products or other liquids of a like inflammableor explosive nature.

The invention is defined in the appended claims and is to be consideredcomprehensive of all forms of structure coming within their scope.

I claim:

1. A manhole structure having a filling opening therethrough, a coverfor said opening, interengaging means on said cover and on said manholestructure whereby the same may be releasably connected together byturning said cover about an axis of rotation, means for mounting saidcover to turn about said axis, means for mounting said mounting meanspivotally on the manhole structure whereby the cover may be moved awayfrom said filling opening, and spring means interposed between saidcover and the mounting means therefor, operating to prevent strikingtogether of the interengaging means on the cover and the manholestructure when said filling opening cover is moved to closing positionafter it has been pivotally moved to open position.

2. In a construction of the class described, a manhole cover having afilling opening therein provided with a downwardly extending annularring around said opening, a filling opening cover to close said fillingopening, elongated lugs on the inner side of said ring projectingtherefrom having inclined inner sides, cooperating lugs on the fillingopening cover provided with outwardly turned portions at their lowerends to pass inside the lugs on said ring, means pivotally mounted onsaid manhole cover at one end thereof and upon which the filling openingcover is mounted to turn about an axis of rotation at the other endwhereby the filling opening cover may be moved to open position and alsomay be turned about said axis of rotation, and means interposed betweensaid mounting means and the filling opening cover, automaticallyoperating to hold the cover in a position when the same is opened, suchthat the lugs thereon cannot strike against the upper side of the lugson said ring.

3. In a construction of the class described, a manhole cover having afilling opening, mounting means pivotally mounted at one end on saidmanhole cover, a filling opening cover rotatably mounted at the otherend of said mounting means, interengaging lugs on the two covers wherebyon rotating the filling opening cover in one direction it is heldagainst movement to open position and on movement in the oppositedirection is moved to disengage said interengaging means on the covers,and spring means interposed between the filling opening cover and saidmounting means operating when the filling opening cover is rotated to apredetermined position to move the same rotatively to an extremeposition, whereby the interengaging means on the covers are disengagedand held in disengaged relation to each other.

4. A construction containing the elements in. combination defined inclaim 3, combined with stop means on said mounting means whichpredetermines the extreme of movement to which the filling opening covermay be moved when disen-' gaging the same from the manhole cover.

5. In combination, a manhole cover having a filling opening therein, afilling opening cover therefor, interengaging means on the covers forreleasably connecting the same together on turning the filling openingcover about an axis of rotation, mounting means for the filling openingcover on which the same may turn about said axis of rotation, means forpivotally mounting said mounting means on the manhole cover and a springinterposed between the filling opening cover and said mounting meansmounted to have its line of force across the axis of rotation of thefilling opening cover and tend to hold the cover in either of twoextremes of movement, one at each side of a dead center line wherein theline of force of the spring crosses the axis of rotation of the fillingopening cover.

6. In a construction of the class described, a manhole cover having afilling opening therein, mounting means pivotally mounted at one end onand below the manhole cover and at one side of said opening, saidmounting means comprising a U-shaped goose neck pivoted at one end onthe manhole and at the other end extending upwardly and toward thefilling opening and terminating in a substantially horizontal ringlocated substantially in the plane of the filling opening, a fillingopening cover having a downwardly extending cylindrical portionrotatably mounted in said ring, interengaging lugs on the fillingopening cover and on the manhole cover and passing one underneath theother on rotation of the filling opening cover in said ring in onedirection, and spring means interposed be tween the lower end of saidcylindrical memher and the upper end of said goose neck, said springmeans mounted and compressed when the filling opening cover is rotatedin said ring away from its closed interengaging position with themanhole cover, said compression of, the spring means continuing until anintermediate position is reached and thereafter the spring expands andexerts its force to help continue the rotation of the filling openingcover to an extreme position of said filling opening cover wherein theinterengaging lugs of the two covers are disconnected, as specified.

'7. In a construction of the class described, a manhole cover having afilling opening therein, mounting means pivotally mounted at one end onand below the manhole cover and at one side of said opening, saidmounting means comprise ing a U-shaped goose neck pivoted at one end onthe manhole and at the other end extending upwardly and toward thefilling opening and terminating in a substantially horizontal ringlocated substantially in the plane of the filling opening, a fillingopening cover having a downwardlyextending cylindrical member rotatablymounted in said ring, interengaging lugs on the filling open-'- ingcover and on the manhole cover and passing one underneath the other onrotation of the filling opening cover in said ring in one direction, anarm extending from the lower end of said cylindrical member, a socketmember on said mounting means, a sleeve mounted to turn in said socket,a yoke pivotally connected to said arm and having a rod extendingtherefrom slidably received in said sleeve, and a coiled compressionspring between the sleeve and the yoke, as and for the purposesspecified.

8. In combination, a manhole cover having a filling opening therein, afilling opening cover therefor, interengaging lugs on the two covers,said lugs on the filling opening cover adapted to pass underneath thoseon the manhole cover on rotation of the filling opening cover in onedirection, means for pivotally and rotatably mounting the fillingopening cover, and means for holding the filling opening cover, whenrotated in a direction to disengage said interengaging lugs, at anextreme position of movement, wherein said interengaging lugs will notstrike against each other on pivotal movement of the filling openingcover to close the filling opening.

9. A manhole structure of the class described having a filling openingtherethrough, a covered upon the said arm and adapted to oscillate toeither of two extreme positions, and compression spring means interposedbetween the coverjand the arm and mounted to have its maximumcompression when the cover is between its extreme positions whereby thecover will be held in either of its extreme positions by the said springmeans.

' EDWARD R. BARRETT.

